Jaws

One of the best scenes in the movie "Jaws" comes when everything is quiet. Roberts Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss are relaxing in the boat, comparing scars. Most were gained from sharks, and at least one from a moray eel. Very cool.

All my recent injuries have been lame. You'd think earning them in the brutal world of martial arts would be cool, too. Nope.

In the last year there have been plenty of bruises, bumps and bangs. Those don't count.

Nothing has been serious, but some were annoying.

They've all involved toes, and they were all caused by nothing more interesting than having moved a bit funny on the mat.

I assume they have been a mix of breaks, sprains, and nasty stubbings. I've never bothered to get an x-ray over them, as the toe bones have all remained properly lined up. I baby the injuries when possible, and when I can't they get splinted to the toe next door. Luckily, it's never kept me from training.

So sometimes I show up at class, with some toe or other duct taped to its neighbour. Sometimes I'm asked what happened. My answer always has to be, "nothing".

No story about shark attacks, or moray eels, or how I was pinned by some big guy but wouldn't tap. Nothing.

Somehow that makes it worse.